Desi cei de la Apple au fost primii care au reusit sa dezvolte un touchscreen pe care adorai sa il folosesti, iata ca o noua companie americana sustine ca Apple foloseste tehnologii proprietare ale sale in iDevice-uri. Flatworld Interactives este compania care ii acuza pe cei de la Apple si vorbim despre o firma care produce display-uri tactile ce sunt folosite de catre muzee pentru a prezenta exponatele. Compania sustine ca a dezvoltat in anii ’90 tehnologiile utilizate de catre cei de la Apple si ca acum doreste compensatii pentru iDevice-uri si Mac-uri care au fost vandute pe piata pana in prezent.
Practic cei de la Flatworld Interactives au dezvoltat o tehnologie pentru manipularea imaginilor folosind gesturi si exista sanse mari ca Apple sa o foloseasca fara acordul lor, dar presupun ca avocatii companiei americane vor gasi o “portita” legala prin care sa isi ajute clientul. Deocamdata procesul este la inceput, nu a fost vazut de un judecator asa ca va voi tine la curent cu modul in care evolueaza.
Hagens Berman: Lawsuit Claims Wide Range of Apple Devices Infringe Patents for Screen Manipulation
A lawsuit filed yesterday against Apple, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) by the Hagens Berman law firm claims that the computing and consumer-products giant has built many of its most popular devices including the iPhone and iPad using intellectual property owned by a Villanova, Penn. company that developed gesture recognition technology for touchscreens in the mid-1990s.
Flatworld Interactives, LLC received U.S. Patent No. RE 43,318, which includes claims to touch screen based systems that allow users to manipulate images using gestures, such as selecting an image by touching it, and flicking images off of the screen.
The company designed touchscreen systems originally for use in video displays for museums and other exhibit applications.
Hagens Berman’s lawsuit was filed on Flatworld’s behalf in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. It alleges that numerous best-selling Apple devices, including the iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, iPod Nano, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air infringe the patent. The complaint also alleges that Apple knew about the patent but continued to sell the infringing products.
“Reading Flatworld’s patent is like reading the description of gesture recognition features of any of the accused products on Apple’s website,” said Steve Berman, Hagens Berman’s managing partner. “It is clear that Flatworld owns technology that Apple has used to drive billions of dollars in infringing sales.”
Flatworld was founded by Dr. Slavko Milekic, a Professor of Cognitive Science & Digital Design at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Penn. Professor Milekic first developed gesture recognition touch screens for use by children as an easier and more intuitive means of interacting with a computer.
The lawsuit seeks a ruling from the court affirming that Apple has infringed the patent, an injunction enjoining Apple from continued infringement, and an award of damages to compensate Flatworld.
